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From afar, the soccer tournament at North Athletic Field on Saturday looked like any other – colorful jerseys dotted the field for a day of sun-drenched athletic competition.

But at a closer look, one could tell the soccer games were secondary to the camaraderie and playfulness of the Special Olympics athletes and coaches, who were really there to have fun and spend time together.

“Every Saturday is the highlight of my week,” said Maya Narayanan, a director and third-year molecular, cell and developmental biology student. “It’s all about the athletes – I have so much fun spending time with them.”

The UCLA-hosted tournament included 18 teams from six southern California chapters.

“There are a lot of fun moments and amazing memories,” said Torrence team-member Michael Guibor. “I like the friendships I make here.”

The UCLA Special Olympics program entered two “unified teams,” one comprised of both players and coaches, and the other a players-only team, into the tournament.

The UCLA program is entirely student-run, with four directors and over a dozen coaches, and serves developmentally disadvantaged youths from the South Central Los Angeles area.

“The athletes are absolutely the most amazing people I have ever met,” said director Emily Guglielmo, a fourth-year civil engineering student. “Sometimes I think I get more out of this than they do.”

Along with three yearly soccer tournaments, the chapter participates in other sports such as basketball, tennis, swimming and softball.

Coaches emphasize learning athletic skills and improvement, but are mostly there to make sure everyone is having fun with the program.

“I really liked playing competitive sports when I was younger and I really like giving (the athletes) the chance to do the same,” said Jeff Wright, a coach and third-year physics and economics student.

“It’s really cool if when practice is over, they are sad to leave because you know you really make a difference in their lives,” he said.

The Special Olympics serves over one million mentally disabled people in over 150 countries, a number that is expected to double in the next few years, according to the Special Olympics Web site.

“Children and adults who participate in Special Olympics develop improved physical fitness and motor skills, greater self-confidence and a more positive self-image,” the Web site said.

Many of the athletes echoed sentiments of a positive competitive environment that also offered friendship and community.

“(Special Olympics) gives me something to do,” said Fred Coleman, an athlete from the UCLA chapter. “It keeps me young.”